1. Technical Field
This disclosure generally relates to mobile phone systems, and more specifically relates to mitigating the effects of predicted failures in a mobile network basestation due to weather conditions.
2. Background Art
Mobile phones have evolved into “smart phones” that allow a user not only to make a call, but also to access data, such as e-mails, the internet, etc. Mobile phone networks have evolved as well to provide the data services that new mobile devices require. For example, 3G networks cover most of the United States, and allow users high-speed wireless data access on their mobile devices. In addition, phones are not the only devices that can access mobile data networks. Many mobile phone companies provide equipment and services that allow a subscriber to plug a mobile access card into a Universal Serial Bus (USB) port on a laptop computer, and provide wireless internet to the laptop computer through the mobile data network. In addition, some newer mobile phones allow the mobile phone to function as a wireless hotspot, which supports connecting several laptop computers or other wireless devices to the mobile phone, which in turn provides data services via the mobile data network. As time marches on, the amount of data served on mobile data networks will continue to rise exponentially.
Mobile data networks include very expensive hardware and software, so upgrading the capability of existing networks is not an easy thing to do. It is not economically feasible for a mobile network provider to simply replace all older equipment with new equipment due to the expense of replacing the equipment. For example, the next generation wireless network in the United States is the 4G network. Many mobile data network providers are still struggling to get their entire system upgraded to provide 3G data services. Immediately upgrading to 4G equipment is not an economically viable option for most mobile data network providers. In many locations, portions of the mobile data network are connected together by point to point microwave links. These microwave links have limited bandwidth. To significantly boost the throughput of these links requires the microwave links to be replaced with fiber optic cable but this option is very costly.
In a mobile data network there are many basestations with an associated cell phone tower. Many of these basestations are located remotely where it is difficult or dangerous for humans to access. The widely dispersed basestations experience broad climate variations that may result in a temporary hardware failure or complete failure until the basestation can be serviced. As currently designed, the core network and Radio Network Controller (RNC) wait until a failure occurs (e.g., the RNC is unable to contact the tower), and only then are recovery actions initiated. This can result in unnecessary delays in data traffic as the network recovers. Users within range of the tower may experience degradation and/or loss of service when this occurs.